You're a typical Baltimore tourist. You carouse downtown landscape expecting to revel in the glamour that is the Inner Harbor.
OK, so there's no glamour, but there are Dragon paddle boats ... and a ton of great seafood restaurants. The question is, with so many seafood restaurants in the Harbor area to choose from (Legal Seafoods, McCormick & Schmick's and Obrycki's to name a few), how does one pick a dining spot?
City Lights Seafood is ideal for those diners searching for quality, fresh seafood and a casual atmosphere. Diners have the choice of sitting inside the trendy restaurant, or during warmer weather, they may opt to take in the sights and sounds of the Light Street Pavilion by eating on the patio overlooking the harbor. Window seats by the fully-stocked bar are both intimate and perfect for taking in the view of the USS Constellation, Fort McHenry, the National Aquarium and the rest of the Inner Harbor's most famous attractions.
Situated on the second floor of the Light Street Pavilion, the City Lights Seafood Restaurant appears to be a family-style eatery, but once inside I was surprised to find a bright, art deco-designed dining room complete with aquatic-themed modern d??cor, creative without bordering on tacky.
At 3 p.m. on a Thursday, the restaurant was relatively empty and the bar a ghost town, but nevertheless, the restaurant looked quite promising. A reservation certainly wasn't needed for a weekday lunch, nor did I get the impression that dinner protocol was any different.
Without the lofty prices of many of the area's other eateries, City Lights manages to present a wide variety of seafood and shellfish choices. For those not partial to the ocean's offerings, a wide array of salads, grilled dishes and pastas are available. Your typical Caesar is served up in a huge portion; I'd recommend it with a bowl of soup for a substantial lunch.
A more exotic dinner might include stuffed portabello mushrooms or chicken Chesapeake. And considering the restaurant's location, it seems unnecessary to state the obvious: TRY THE CRAB. Baltimore is called the "Crab City" for a reason. My personal recommendation would be a steaming bowl of the crab bisque soup, or the signature Maryland crab cake. Other fish staples such as mango BBQ salmon are accompanied by fresh vegetables and rice choices. The fisherman's platter is a fish lover's dream, a delectable combination of catfish or tuna, shrimp and scallops that is only slightly more expensive than the rest of the menu.
City Lights has a unique coupon program, offering amenities from a couple of dollars off drinks to 10 percent off your entire bill (check online for details). Another highlight is the $5.00 children's menu, perfect for adults who want to escape from the aquarium and the ship museums, and feed their families at a reasonable price.
The one downfall of the City Lights experience is the service, which was overbearing at times and slow at others. One moment three waiters would collapse upon the table, but five minutes later you'd need binoculars to spot the nearest server for a water refill.
Diners on the patio at least had the view to distract them from the shaky service. Too much time between the pre-appetizer bread and the soup and salad allows down time for weary tourists but creates an unusual dynamic for what could be a romantic evening.
A woman at a nearby table who was clearly on a date excused herself to head to the ladies room and didn't return for upwards of twenty minutes, though judging by her partner, I'm pretty sure her extended absence was not due to food quality or service. My recommendation then would be not to try City Lights if you're starving or in a rush. Hit California Pizza Kitchen instead. Plan to wait a little longer for City Lights' dishes, but for the most part it's worth it. The appetizers are good and the crab even better.
The truth remains that any seafood restaurant in Baltimore is subject to constant scrutiny from tourists and seafood aficionados alike. Going up against the best of the best of the crab world is no easy task, but I believe City Lights serves its niche quite well.
Look for the signature tacky royal blue awning and find a relatively inexpensive, casual yet refined dining experience against the spectacular backdrop of the Inner Harbor.
